Evaporating device



Nov. 24, 1959 w. M. BocK, JR 2,914,308 EVAPORATING' DEvIE Filed July 25, 1955 United States Patent() EVAPORATING DEVICE William M. Bock, Jr., Milwaukee, Wis.

Application Julyk 25, 1955, Serial N0. 523,981

3 Claims. (Cl. 261-104) This invention relates to an evaporating device adapted lprimarily for use in humidifying apparatus employed in forced air heating systems.

The need for proper control of humidity'in homes', as well as commercial establishments, where forced air heating systems are utilized, has long been recognized as an important contributing factor in the preservation of personal property and human health as well.

The majority of humidiers of this type, presently in use, utilize removable evaporating devices such as plates, which are partially immersed within a reservoir of liquid, such as water, and are adapted to provide more effective evaporation of the liquid from kthe reservoir.

Various types of evaporating devices have heretofore been proposed which have met with but limited success, because they are fragile and costly in construction, are diflicult to install within or remove from the humidifying apparatus, aresusceptible to encrustation caused by mineral deposits after a short period of time, which seriously impair the capillarity of the device for the liquid, and/ or are adapted for use in only one given -design or style of apparatus.

Thus, it is one of the objects of this invention to provide an evaporating device which effectively overcomes the aforementioned difculties associated with prior evaporating devices.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an evaporating device which is self-supporting within the reservoir and cap-able of conforming substantially to the interior shape of such reservoir.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an evaporating device which has a greater liquid-evaporating area than prior devices of substantially the same size, thereby resulting in more effective liquid evaporation.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an evaporating device which is capable of interlocking with another device of like design, -whereby the interlocking devices are retained in proper-spaced relation with respect to one another.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide an evaporating device which is simple, lightweight Aand durable in construction.

Further and additional objects will appear from the description, accompanying drawings, and appended claims.

In accordance with one embodiment of this invention, a laminated evaporating device is provided Ain which one of the laminations is formed of a heat-conductive material and a second lamination, bonded to the first'lamination, is formed of a material wettable by the liquid in which the device is partially immersed. The laminations form a relatively stili planar body having an upper liquidevaporating section, a lower liquid-immersible section integral therewith, and a liquid-immersible side section foldably connected to one side of said lower section. The side section, when in folded relation, cooperates with the lower section to form a support for the device, whereby the device is self-supporting.

ICC

For a more complete understanding of this invention, reference should be made to the drawing, wherein Fig. 1 is a layoutorunfolded view of one form of the improved evaporating device;

Fig. 2 isa perspective,.exploded view of the laminations forming the.device of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a reduced, fragmentary, perspective view of a plurality of devices of the type shown in-Fig. 1, assembled within the reservoir for the liquid;

Fig. 4 is similar to Fig. 3 but showing only one device with the side sections thereof folded to provide a spacer for a like evaporatingdevice to be positionedfvin frontfof thedevice shown;

Fig. 5` is similar to Fig. 1 but lshowing a'modifedform of the improved evaporating device;

Fig. 6 is a reduced perspective view of a modified form of the device of Fig. 5, shown with the side sections thereof in folded relation;

Fig. 7 is-similar to Fig. llbut showing another modied form of the improved evaporating device; and

.Fig 8 is a reduced perspective View of a pair of-devices of Fig. 7, yshown in assembled relation.

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to Figs. 1-3, one form 10 of the improved evaporator device is shown which, `in this instance, is formed of three laminations, 11,12 and 13. The center lamination 12 is formed of la heat conductive material, for example, a thin-gaugedaluminum sheet, and the outer laminations 11 and 13, which are bonded to the opposite lsurfaces of lamination 12, are formedof a thin-gauge material, for example, l0() to 140 lb. paper stock which is readily wettable in'the liquid in-which the device isto be partially immersed. The laminations 11-13, when bonded together by a suitable adhesive material, form a relatively stiff body having an upper liquid-evaporator section 14 and a lower section 15, the latter being integral with section 14 and in substantially coplanar relation therewith and being adapted to be immersed in source of liquid. Foldably connected to opposite sides of lower -section 15 is a pair of side sections 16-which, when in folded rela tion, cooperate with section .15 to provide a support or footing for the device 10. It will be noted in Fig. 1 that the lower edges 16a of side sections 16 are angularly disposed with respect to the lower edge 15a of section 15 so that when the side sections are folded relative to section 15 along fold lines 17, lower edges 16a and 15a willforma plane which is disposed at an acute angle with respect to -the front side or surface of sections 14 and 15. The purpose of this angularity is that, when the device is assembled within a suitable reservoir 1S, the latter forming a part of the humidifying apparatus, the upper section 14 of .the devicewill have a greater portion of the surface area thereof acting as a deector of the forced air produced in the heating system and thus result in more rapid evaporation of the liquid from the upper section 14. By way of further explanation ofthe advantage obtained by reason of tilting of the device, assume that the air current through the plenum chamber is in an upward direction -substantially normal to the base of reservoir 18. lf the devices disposed within ythe reservoir were not angularly .postioned to the air current, then the air current would be obstructed by only the edges of the devices, that is to say, the thickness of material of'which the devices are made. Upon inclination of the devices, however, the air current strikes more than just the narrow edges of the devices and is deflected to a greater extent by the devices, causing greater air turbulence, which results in more elective evaporation of the moisture from the devices.v The reservoir 18 is adapted to be normally installed in the bonnet or plenum .chamber of the furnace, so thatthe flow of air is in a substantially .vertical directionfrom beneath the reservoir.

Upper section 14, in this instance, is provided with laterally extending shoulders 14a which, when the device is assembled within the reservoir 18, see Fig. 3, protrude above and outwardly from the open end of the reservoir and thereby provide a relatively large liquid-evaporating area. The side sections 16 are adapted Vtobe immersed in the liquid contained in reservoii 18 and when in folded relation with respect to the lower section 15, as seen in Fig. 3, frictionally engage the upwardly extending sides 18a of the reservoir and thereby retain the device in a substantially fixed position within the reservoir. In Fig. 4, the side sections 16 have been folded along a second fold line 16b, which is disposed intermediate the outer edge of the side section and fold line 17 so as to form two side-section portions 16C and 16d. The portion 16d, which is bounded by fold lines 17 and 16b, serves as a spacer between two adjacent devices and thereby maintains the devices in proper-spaced relation so that forced air may readily pass between adjacent devices. Portion 16C, on the other hand, extends angularly outwardly and frictionally engages the side 18a of the reservoir 18.

Figs. and 6 show a second and third form 20 and 20', respectively, of the improved evaporator device wherein the upper and lower sections 14 and 15, respectively, thereof are substantially the same configuration as sections 14 and 15 of device 10. Sections 14 and 15 in device 20 are held in coplanar relation with respect to one another by a plurality of stilening ribs or beads 21 which extend from the lower edge a of section 15 to the upper edge of section 14. ln addition, form includes elongated stiiening ribs 21' disposed in the laterally extending shoulders 14a of section 14. If desired, the ribs 21 may also extend into side sections 23. Lower section 15 is also provided with a pair of spaced, substantially parallel, open-end slots 22 which extend upward from lower edge 15a. The slots 22 are also parallel to the fold lines 17 which connect lower section 15 with side sections 23. The side sections 23, in this instance, i

are struck out or severed from shoulders 14a of upper section 14 by lines 24, see Fig. 5, which extend anguiarly downwardly toward lower section 15 and terminate at fold lines 17. Each side section 23 is also provided with an elongated open-end slot 25 having the open end thereof terminating along the edge of the section formed by line 24. Each side section 23 is provided, in this instance, with a second fold line 26 spaced from fold line 17 and substantially parallel thereto so as to form side-section portions 23a and 23]). When both side sections are folded along lines 17 and 26, portions 23a will extend substantially convergently from lower portion 15, and portions 23b will be in substantially parallel relation with respect to one another. The purpose of the relative disposition of portions 23a and 23b is that when device 20 is assembled with other devices of like configuration, the slots 2S formed in side sections 23 are adapted to interlock with the slots 22 formed in lower section 1S of the device positioned in front thereof. 1f desired, the folding of each side section 23 along fold line 26 may be omitted, and each section instead folded only along line 17 so that side sections are convergent with respect to one another, thereby enabling the slots 25 of one device to interlock with slots 22 of the second device. When the modied device 20 or 20 is assembled within a suitable reservoir 18, the upper portions of the side sections 23 will extend above the liquid level in the reservoir and provide additional liquid-evaporating surfaces for the device and thereby result in more ecient liquid evaporation without increasing the physical size of the device.

Another modified form 27 of the evaporating device is shown in Figs. 7 and 8, wherein the upper and lower sections 14 and 15, respectively, thereof are of substantially the same configuration as the corresponding sections of device 10, heretofore described. The side sections 23 are similar in configuration to the corresponding sections of modified device 20 with the exception that a 4 relatively short open-end slot 28 is formed in each side section in place of the elongated slot 25 of device 20. Slots 28 are adapted to accommodate a portion of the underside of the laterally extending shoulders 14a of a device 27 positioned in front thereof, as seen in Fig. 8, and thereby effect retention of the pair of devices 27 in proper-spaced relation with respect to one another so as to readily permit the forced air to pass between the plates.

While several forms of the improved evaporator device have heretofore been described and illustrated, it is to be understood, of course, that the invention is not to be limited thereto as the shape of the various sections may be varied so as to conform more specifically to the particular style of reservoir utilized for holding the liquid to be evaporated. For example, in certain instances it might be desirable for the device to be provided with only one shoulder and side section in place of the two, as shown. The laminations 11, 12 and 13, as heretofore mentioned, are of thin gauge material and by reason of this fact are readily fabricated to the desired shape. Furthermore, each lamination, in this instance, is of substantially the same configuration; however, if desired, the center lamination 12 might be slightly smaller in size than the outer laminations 11 and 13. The outer laminations 11 and 13, as heretofore mentioned, may be formed of paper material formed of long fibers and possessed of a high degree of capillarity and wet strength.

Thus, it will be seen that an evaporator device has been provided which is inexpensive and lightweight in construction, compact andvdurable and may be readily installed within or removed from the reservoir, which forms a part of the humidifying apparatus. In addition, by reason of one of the laminations being possessed of a high heat conductivity, more uniform evaporation of the liquid is effected throughout the device. The side sections of the device may be readily folded relative to the remainder of the device so as to more readily conform to the interior shape of the reservoir.

While several embodiments of this invention are shown above, it will be understood, of course, that the invention is not to be limited thereto, since many modifications may be made, and it is contemplated, therefore, by the appended claims, to cover any such modifications as fall within'the true spirit and scope of this invention.

I claim:

1. An evaporating device adapted to be partially immersed in a source of liquid, said device comprising a pair of laminations bonded together to form a planar relatively stili body, one of said laminations being formed of heat conductive material, and the other lamination being formed of a material wettable in such liquid; said body including an upper liquid-evaporating section, a lower liquid-immersible section integral with said upper section, said lower section having an elongated slot formed therein extending upwardly from the lower edge of said section, a liquid-immersible side section foldably connected to said lower section and being provided with an elongated slot spaced from the line of fold between said side and lower sections, said slot extending downwardly from the upper edge thereof and adapted, when said side section is in folded relation, to interlock with the slot formed in the lower section of a second device of like configuration and retain said like devices in a predetermined spaced relation.

2. An evaporating device adapted to be partially immersed in a source of liquid, said device comprising a pair of laminations bonded together to form a planar relatively sti body, one of said laminations being formed of heat conductive material and the other lamination being formed of a material wettable in such liquid; said body including an upper liquid-evaporating section having a laterally extending shoulder, a lower liquid-immersible section integral therewith, and a side section foldably connected to said lower section and being provided with a slot formed in the upper edge thereof for receiving, when said side section is in folded relation, a portion of a second device of like configuration and etect retention of said devices in a predetermined spaced relation.

3. An evaporating device adapted to be partially immersed in a source of liquid, said device comprising a plurality of laminations bonded together to form a planar relatively stiff body, said body including a center lamination of heat conductive material, and outside laminations disposed on opposite sides of said center lamination and being formed of a material wettable in such liquid; said body including an upper liquid-evaporating section having laterally extending shoulders, a lower liquid-immersible section extending from said upper section and disposed in substantially coplanar relation therewith, and side sections foldably connected to opposite sides of said lower section and adapted, when in folded relation, to cooperate with said lower section to form a support for said device; each side section being provided with an openend slot formed in the upper edge thereof for accommodating a portion of a shoulder formed in a second device of like conguration and effect retention of said device in a predetermined spaced relation.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,329,143 Rogers Jan. 27, 1920 1,522,018 Lodge Jan. 6, 1925 1,606,472 Kieier et a1. Nov. 9, 1926 1,727,658 Matteson Sept. 10, 1929 2,161,834 Seeley .lune 13, 1939 2,443,645 Turan June 22, 1948 2,678,235 Perlman May 11, 1954 

